First, he described City’s decision to replace Manuel Pellegrini with Pep as a “catastrophic mistake” which “destroyed the spirit in the changing room”.

Seluk then claimed that Guardiola had “humiliated” Toure by omitting him from City’s Champions League squad, before questioning whether Pep would “have the balls” to apologise for leaving the Ivorian out should the team fail in Europe.

Ahead of Wednesday’s EFL Cup game against Swansea City, Guardiola was asked if Toure would feature. His response was firm.

Guardiola was quoted by Sky Sports as saying: “It was so difficult for me to put him out of the Champions League, so difficult. I know him, I know he’s a good, good guy, but the list is the list.

“But the day after his manager [agent] spoke, and from that moment Yaya is out.

“Go to the media and apologise to Manchester City – the first one – the second one his team-mates and, after, the trainer. When that happens Yaya will be part of the group and he will have the same chance to play all the games.

“I cannot accept as a coach every manager [agent], when his player doesn’t play, goes to the media and speaks and speaks and speaks.

“I cannot imagine in my period when I was a football player, my manager [agent] going to the media and speaking against [then Barcelona boss] Johan Cruyff, about this and about that.

“Maybe it’s a new era now, the new period changing, but I’m an old guy. I am old generation, and an old generation manager has to make his players his job and trainers his job.”

Guardiola’s statement divided opinion. Many fans praised his old-school stance and respect for a club’s hierarchy, while others saw it as petulant and childish.

Either way, it was nowhere near as petulant or childish as Seluk’s latest reaction, which Sky Sports quoted on Twitter.

BREAKING: @YayaToure‘s agent Dimitri Seluk tells #SSNHQ: “Guardiola wins a few games and think he is king. (1/3)